{"id":133295,"date":"2024-12-09T08:05:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-09T13:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=133295"},"modified":"2024-12-09T17:29:04","modified_gmt":"2024-12-09T22:29:04","slug":"wsj-the-11-day-blitz-by-syrian-rebels-that-ended-50-years-of-assad-rule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=133295","title":{"rendered":"(WSJ) The 11-Day Blitz by Syrian Rebels That Ended 50 Years of Assad Rule"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Entering the weekend, Syria<\/a> President Bashar al-Assad<\/a> showed no signs of yielding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As armed rebels closed in Saturday on Damascus, Assad ordered his forces to defend the Syrian capital, seemingly confident the military would come to his rescue, according to Syrian officials familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By late Saturday, Assad had vanished. He didn\u2019t show up for a prepared address to the nation, and his cabinet had no idea where he was. They learned with the rest of the world that Assad had escaped the country hours ahead of the rebels\u2019 arrival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The toppling of Assad\u2019s regime, ending 50 years of his family\u2019s rule, revealed how badly Syria\u2019s army had been hollowed out by years of corruption, defections to the rebellion and the country\u2019s economic crisis. Recruitment had declined, and Syrian men dodged conscription.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>

In his last hours as Syria\u2019s leader, Bashar al-Assad called for help from Russia, Iran and his own military. After an 11-day blitz by rebels, he learned too late he was out of allies and loyalty. \u2066@WSJ<\/a>\u2069 https:\/\/t.co\/29xRh2rvtn<\/a><\/p>— Amb Antonio Garza (@aogarza) December 9, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote>